


W can be for...

by MR01



Series: Maze [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, First Kiss, Gen, Half-Sibling Incest, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Magic is still outlawed in Camelot, Modern Royalty, Pendragon family secrets and bonds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-19 06:08:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19351048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MR01/pseuds/MR01
Summary: Three times Arthur hears the words 'I have magic' from some of the most important people in his life.





	W can be for...

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own 'Merlin'

* * *

Arthur and Morgana are seventeen and sixteen years old when a huge fire starts in the castle.

Rummaging through the halls only to consume everything in it's way.

Getting as far as going three to about four and a half rooms down before it is contained and put out.

Guards and firefighters running alongside each-other to make the area safe again for the Royal family and it's servants.

Uther having confined them both to his room. Having seen to it that Gaius babysat Mordred with Merlin's help while he brought people in to find out who had started the fire.

More importantly to make them pay and be set up as an example.

"I have magic" the words resound to the point where he thinks that they are what drives his heart's beating.

"Morgana, you can't." He feels fear. Hot like lava yet cool as dry ice. Arthur wonders if he is experiencing a nightmare. A really bad, one of ugliest he's had thus far.

She isn't looking at him or meeting his eyes as her body trembles beside him and tears are falling onto his pajama pants.

"This isn't funny, stop lying to me." His voice comes out angry yet lower than before.

Knowing that there is no one around here in his rooms but that there are a good number of guards just outside of his door.

Vigilant about protecting him and his sister. Yet the walls feel thin in his opinion. He is scared. 

Of it being true. What would happen if his father found out. The their people and friends would think that the rumors are true about anyone who possesses magic being evil.

Of what life would be like without Morgana in his. He doesn't ever want to find out.

It would be a miserable existence even on his best days and despite the other people who love him or that he loves in return being there for him.

"Morgana, listen for this..if you..if we are found out. Anyone else ever finds out about this Father will not stop at just giving up a beating. Uther might even execute us."

Taking his hands in hers tightly Morgana stands up. Nodding ferociously in agreement. Her mind looking made up.

"He can stop with just me, I will tell him that you knew nothing of this. That I-that I just wanted to see you one last time is all. I'm so sorry Arthur."

She hugs him to her chest tightly. To reassure them both. Giving him a sad smile.

"No" and that word is all it takes for her to hug him. Pulling away slightly when nursemaids come in to check on them. Brining in snacks and reassuring words.

Thinking that their tears of evident distress are due to fright from the 'home invaders' and the fire.

He wipes at her tears as he tries to hold in his own.

Wondering how a simple kiss then a few more could have started this whole mess and yet finding that he wants to do it again.

Leaning close to her to whisper the words.

"So just to set the record straight. You're a witch and that's why you never cared for the Wizard of Oz. Afraid you'll melt under the rain?"

Arthur laughs as he gives her a teasing look and Morgana mumbled that he should 'shut up' before saying that she had to find Gwen.

* * *

 Mordred stopped pacing. The blood covering his wrists lay continuously dripping, forgotten by him.

While Arthur takes a step closer to him as apposed to taking a couple thousand back as Mordred had assumed he would have done for far too many long and lonely nights now.

"What the fuck are you doing Mordred?" There is fear in his voice and incredible sadness but it is definitely not because he fears or hates him. His brother has got to know that.

"You're not scared? I have magic." The young teens eyes are wide and his irises are bright gold.

He just destroyed the main arcade room by accident. Of course Arthur had pissed him off by teasing him about his stupid crush on Merlin but it wasn't his fault. Mordred should have controlled himself and he's a fucking idiot.

Now his father is going to find out that he has magic and probably execute him on the spot.

"I don't give a shit right now. You're bleeding like a gutted goat all over my crown and bed, you idiot." Arthur's voice goes gentler and he hugs his little brother tightly. "Don't ever do anything like this again. Why would you purposely hurt yourself for starters?"

Feeling wooziness consume him Mordred falls to the floor and he thanks heaven for Merlin and Morgana as they rush in bringing Gaius and some knights to assist him.

Once his brother is being watched over carefully and treated Uther summons him wanting to know just what exactly happened.

He blames it on a stupid science experiment he, Lancelot and Leon had been working on for school.

His dad buys into it with evident reluctance since he clearly didn't get all the details.

Being extremely busy doing with foreign diplomats all week and stressed certainly helped Arthur with the excuse he needed.

Sometime later in the week when he sees that Mordred is more or less  better now that he 'corners' him.

Gaius and Merlin are MIA since he had Percival send them on an errand. Making it explicitly clear that they should be gone for at least half an hour.

"I love you, you know that. Right?" He stares at his brother as he pulls up a chair.

Hearing a light chuckle then him clearing his throat and the words. "Yeah, of course. I was just really sad. Scared. Sorry for.. It really wasn't my best moment."

Mordred conjured up a little dragon made up of vapor and water for Arthur to see. To show him that he actually has magic for one and starting with something small to not overwhelm his older brother.

"I just can't believe you are a wizard and you never told me. Do you have any idea how many pranks we could have pulled off at the Castle? I've made a list. Granted I just started it but here are my top five so far."

Arthur pulls up his phone showing him the list and telling him to scoot over because he's not leaving his side anytime soon.

Saying that if he's up to it they can totally try pulling one on Gwaine whenever he gets back.

* * *

 "I could have died Merlin. My physics tutor is so stupid. Fuck him and the subject, I'm going to be a king not a damn nerd."

Arthur throws his physics book out a window pretty sure that whoever finds it will bring him an exact yet brand new replica before the half hour is done.

Sometimes he hates being rich and all powerful. It almost makes him a little too unapproachable.

"Well I certainly hope not. That actually brings me to what I wanted to talk to you about."

Arthur looks at Merlin in curiosity then at his knights because they are all genuinely friends here and this group in particular is loyal to only him and his siblings.

"Spit it out princess we don't have all day. I want to go play football." 

He and a couple of the guys laugh until Lancelot shakes his head as if letting him know and telling him that this is a really serious matter he's got on his hands now.

"There's no easy way to say this but um here it goes. I have magic. Really cool and often potentially life threatening yet beautiful magic and before you tell at me or have me executed just know that 98% of the time I used it to try to help you."

"I'm not saying that'll get me anywhere now but aside from this secret I have always been your friend, truthful."

Merlin looks scared. As he should be Arthur thinks yet he looks confident in himself and he thinks, their long-dear years of friendship.

Arthur cannot look at Merlin or his knights as he tells them all to get 'the fuck' out. 

Calling for his sister because Morgana is the only one of his siblings that's available.

After calming down enough because he's gone through this a couple of times now. He thinks he might as well be an expert he finds Merlin muck out the stables.

Without magic and dejected looking as he talks to Mordred about something he cannot make out from here.

"You gifted me Excalibur for my eighteenth birthday then two days later made me pull it out of an ancient looking rock-like boulder in front of a few hundred people. Was that a Warlock thing or were you just messing with me for kicks and giggles?" 

He watches Mordred make an excuse to skedaddle because this isn't his immediate concern and the two friends could really use some privacy.

Merlin looks like he doesn't know what to say, kinda sheepish for a few seconds then his mouth catches up with his brain. "It was a little bit of both. I got the idea from a dragon."

* * *

A couple of days later. Because it really hasn't been a complete month since all three of these powerful idiots confided in him and his friends, knights.

With the most awesome yet dangerous of secrets that has him wanting to make an announcement.

It finds all of them at Gwaine's house because he knows his Castle really wouldn't be the best place to hold these kinds of conversations despite what's already happened.

 "I think now, I can kind of understand or at least try to relate to why you all had to live in lie for all of the time that you did around me and other people here at Camelot." 

Arthur looks at Morgana as Merlin and Mordred stare at each other.

Slight fear yet reassurance both present in their demeanor.

He can see it all now that no one has a blindfold over his eyes.

"You all have magic, you all deceived me and yet I still want you all to be in my life. I do not hate you. If I was a smarter man, I'd possibly fear you. I don't. I never will, I just know that."

Morgana is the first to stand and he hugs her tightly. Reaching her in two fluid strides then it's Merlin and finally Mordred.

Thinking that they still have plenty of conversations ahead of them. Questions and concerns, plans and some not so fun remarks about what they could have done better or can still do in the future.

He isn't the only one with similar interests on the subject and people have already started interrogating the magicians to the point where he assumes it feels a little overwhelming but exhilarating at once.

He stares at Mordred. His scars are healing as if they were never there thanks for Gaius and magic he assumes.

He still has to finish their talk, he knows that but he doesn't think that prudent right now.

Gwen moves to ask Morgana questions about what she can do then asking how she feels now that she has a little bit more freedom to discuss sho she is.

Lancelot talks to Merlin alongside some of the knights who now say that they knew something fishy had been going on for the longest because too much good luck and misfortune alike had befallen them to be normal.

Mordred watches them from the sidelines only for Arthur to kiss his forehead and make a reassurance.

Saying that when he's crowned King of Camelot he will make everything better.

Then asking him to show him a simple parlor trick.

The words  _I'm dating Merlin_ appear like magic in his mind then he's like duh and he says gross as everyone in the room finds out about it too.

Leaving the young Warlock a blushing mess up until Arthur finds himself saying that he'd like to start dating Morgana out in the open or at least with their knowledge since he's so damn tried of lies and secrets.

That opens the conversation up to jokes and stupid comments yet acceptance because as long as it's not pertaining all that much to them who are they to judge.

And he pulls out his phone. Thinking that he will take a picture so that once he is crowned King, he will commemorate this wonderful day by turning it into a holiday.


End file.
